Reliving past experience: memory and rural tourism destination image as predictors of place attachment

Limited research uses autobiographical memory to evaluate tourism experience. This study helps fill this gap by developing a causal relationship model among autobiographical memory, tourism image and place attachment. In the present study, memory rehearsal and memory impact were consistently predictive of place dependence, place identity. Cognitive image and affective image also positively predicted place dependence, place identity and mediated certain relationships between autobiographical memory and place attachment. These findings highlight the relevance of top-down processing of tourism experience and destination image, place attachment. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed based on the study results.